Video footage obtained by Mercy For Animals Canada reveals horrific animal abuse at Maple Lodge Farms, including birds violently slammed into metal shackles before being painfully shocked with electricity and having their throats cut open while still conscious and able to feel pain, and countless animals freezing to death during transport.

To expose these gentle birds to freezing temperatures, stressful loading and unloading, rough handling, injuries, and live-hanging, all in the name of cheap meat is unconscionable. … There is a strong need for major reform in the poultry slaughter industry.Dr. Sara Shields

It is very cruel to subject these birds to such extremely cold temperatures, causing suffering and death by freezing. … It is abhorrent that these birds have suffered so terribly due to such flagrant, irresponsible neglect of their most basic physical needs.Dr. Armaiti May

The birds arriving at this facility have already been transported inhumanely, as seen in the large number arriving dead. They are exposed to freezing temperatures with no protection from the elements. Such transport is unconscionable.Dr. Lee Schrader

Workers are seen roughly dropping, tossing and shoving large crates full of chickens onto a conveyor belt on the floor. … This type of rough handling will result in not only the pain of broken bones, bruising, and internal injury, but also stress and fear.Dr. Debra Teachout

Chickens are sensitive and intelligent animals with advanced cognitive abilities that rival those of dogs, cats, and even some primates. Studies show that chickens excel at complex mental tasks, can learn from watching each other, and are even able to pass down information from one generation to the next. Chickens are able to comprehend cause-and-effect relationships, feel apprehension about the future, and understand that recently hidden objects still exist—an ability that is beyond the mental capacity of young children.

Chickens are very social animals who can form deep and meaningful friendships with other birds. In fact, they can remember and identify more than 100 different chickens from their facial features alone. Like many animals, chickens have complex social structures and a wide variety of distinct personalities. Some birds are outgoing and gregarious, while others are more shy and reserved. But all chickens put family first, giving rise to the term “mother hen” to refer to particularly protective parents.

The communication skills of chickens are highly sophisticated and begin developing at an early age. Mother hens will cluck to their chicks while they are still in their shells, and the unhatched chicks will chirp back at them. Researchers know of at least 30 types of vocalizations that chickens make to mean very different things. For example, chickens have certain sounds that warn of threats approaching from the land, and completely different sounds to warn of aerial predators. Chickens will use particular vocal inflections when “talking” to friends, and different inflections during communication with strangers.